Non-interference electrical signaling apparatus



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1.

A. NEWMAN.

' NON-INTERFERENCE ELECTRICAL SIGNALING APPARATUS.

No. 449,690. Patented Apr. 7,1891.

' "9 A A aB W CARRIAE (No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

A. NEWMAN. NON-INTERFERENCE ELECTRICAL sIGNALING APPARATUS. No. 449,690. Patented Apr. 7, 1891.

4 Sheets-Sheet 3.-

(No Model.)

A. NEWMAN. NON-INTERFERENCE ELECTRICAL SIGNALING APPARATUS.

Patented Apr. 7, 1891.

R i a R A B m: KORRXS virus so" maiu-u'rna, vnsummcm, n. c.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4,

(No Model.)

A. NEWMAN. NON-INTERFERENCE ELECTRICAL SIGNALING APPARATUS. No. 449,690.

Patented Apr. 7, 1891.

00., EncYo-Lnum, vusumnmn u c 'of the apparatus.

"NTTED STATES PATENT Trice.

ABRAHAM NEWMAN, OF BROOKLYN, NEXV YORK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 449,690, dated April 7, 1891.

Application filed February 28, 1890- $erial No. 342,127. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ABRAHAM NEWMAN,-0f Brooklyn, in Kings county and the State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Non-Interference Electrical Signaling Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

I will describe the improvement in detail, and then point out the novel features in claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a face View of a signal-box. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the same, taken through the plane of the line or a, Fig. 1. Fig. 2* is a View of parts of an apparatus of a signal-box embodying my improvement. Fig. 3 is a detail view of parts of the apparatus of the signal-box. Fig. 4 is aview showing other parts Fig. 5 is a face view of an apparatus at a central station or office. Fig. 6 is a plan view of the mechanism of said central-station apparatus. Fig. 7 is a side view of said mechanism. Fig. 8 is a detail view of certain parts of said mechanism, and Fig. 9

is a diagram showing the connection of sig-.

nal-boxes with apparatus arranged at a central station or oflice.

Similar letters of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures.

I will first describe the apparatus of the.

that when the pins CL and a rest against each other said index points to zero. To the shaft A is also fastened a ratchet-wheel O, and below this ratchet-wheel is a toothed wheel D,

upon which is arranged a pawl 61, held in c0ntact with the teeth of the ratchet-wheel O by a spring in the ordinary manner. The shaft A passes through the toothed wheel D, but is not fastened to it. The toothed wheel D meshes with another wheel in a manner well known in clock-movements, and this wheel is inclosed in a suitable case. case is marked off at suitable intervals to in- To the ratchetwheel G is fastened another wheel H, and underneath the wheel H is a spring I, coiled around the shaft A and having one of its ends attached to said shaft,

while the other end is fastened to one of theposts of the frame. Excepting where nonconducting material is required, the various parts of the movements of the signal-box'will preferably be made of conducting material.

J J designate a pair of spool-magnets suitably mounted and having their cores connected in the usual manner. The armature J of these magnets is fastened to an arm J one end of which is fastened by a pin to standardsjj. A pin 7' plays within a slot formed in the other end ofsaid arm J The pin 7' is fastened to armsj of a plate j. The arms of this plate j are pivoted in suitable bearin gs f, and a spring, as 7, presses against the pin 7' and thus the armature J is normally held away from contact with the magnets J J.

The mechanism hereinbefore described is The face of the station or office is also inclosed in a suitable case, the face of which is marked off at proper intervals in the same manner as the faces of the signal-boxes. One of the marks indicates zero, andthe index K will normally point to this zero-indicating mark. I will now de scribe the mechanism of this indicator.

K K designate a pair of spool-magnets mounted in any suitable frame and having ICZO their cores connected in the usual manner. Between the magnets K K is a sliding arm K whose ends pass through holes in the portions 7; 7a of the frame. The armature K is fastened to this sliding arm near one end, and a spiral spring K rests against the inner side of the armature K at one end, while the other end rests against the inner side of the portion 7a of the frame. This spiral spring will be of sufficient tension to permit the ar mature K to be attracted by the magnets K K and remove the armature from contact with the magnets when the magnets cease to attract the armature. The amount of play of the armature K is regulated by thumbscrews 7; on the portion of the frame.

K designates an arm fastened at one end to the arm K and at the other end to an arm K. The arm K is suitably pivoted, as at it to the frame. The free end of the arm K is held in contact with a ratchet-wheel K by a spring, as it". Another arm K is fastened at one end to the frame, and its free end is held in contact with the ratchet-wheel K by a spring K Both the arms K and K work in suitable guides in a portion 766 of the frame.

The ratchet-wheel K is mounted in any suitable manner in the frame. It has a pin k fixed to it long enough to strike another pin k arranged on the frame so as to act as a stop to prevent the further rotation of the ratchetwheel K A post K is fastened to the ratchetwheel K to turn with it, and a coiled spring is arranged within the ratchet-wheel K to cause the revolution backward of the ratchetwheel K and post K when the arms K and K are withdrawn from contact with the ratchet-wheel K An index K is fastened to the post K in such manner that when the pins 70 and 70 strike each other this index will point to zero on the face of the indicator.

L L designate a second pair of spool-mag nets suitably mounted in the frame and having their cores connected in the usual manner. L is the armature of these magnets. It is fastened to a rod L one end of which extends downwardly far enough to be able to engage the arms K and K A red L is fastened to this rod L and passes through holes in the frame. This rod L serves to hold the rod L and armature L in place.

L designates a thumb-screw, which serves to regulate the amount of play of the rod L and armature L This indicator may be used in connection with indicators in ordinary use in which an electric current is used to give an alarm and indicate the number of a room.

N designates an electric battery of any suitable kind. From one of the poles of this batterya wire 0 extends to the magnetof an ordinary electric bell, as P, and from the magnet of this bell a wire 0 extends to the magnets, as Q, of an annunciator for announcing the numbers of the rooms of the house. From these magnets wires 0 extend to the contactpoints h of the various signal-boxes in the rooms whose numbers the said magnets, as Q, when energized are intended to announce. From the battery N another wire R extends to themagnets K K, and from these magnets a wire R extends to a contact-piece S. A wire T extends from the battery N to the movements of the various signal-boxes.

U is another battery, from one pole of which a wire V extends to the magnets J J, and from the magnets J J' a wire V extends to the contact-piece M'. From the other pole of the battery U a wire IV extends to the rim M. I may also connect the opposite poles of the batteryU with the magnets L L,and a pushbutton X may be used for closing the circuit to cause the operation of the magnets L L.

In Fig. 9 I have shown the indicator connected with two signal-boxes, which I have marked, respectively, No. l and No. 2.

I will now describe the operation of the apparatus with special reference to Fig. 0, in which two signal-boxes are shown as included in the series, premising, however, that any desired number of signal-boxes may be included in the series and that the operation of the apparatus will be the same no matter how many boxes are so included. Let us Suppose that we are in the room in which signal-box No. 1 is placed and that we desire coal. Taking hold of the knob 11, I will commence to turn the plate i3 and with it the lug b in the direction indicated by the arrow. The moment the lug 12 touches the contactpoint M an electric circuit is formed from the battery N along the wire T to the movement of the signal-box, from this movement through the lug b to the contact-point M from the contact-point M along the wire 0 through the magnet Q, thence along the wire 0 through the magnet of the electric bell P, along the wire 0 to the battery. \Vhen this circuit is established, the magnet Q, will cause the nu mber of the room to be displayed in a manner well known and the bell P will ring, thereby notifying the attendant that the inmates of room No. 1 are calling. From one pole of the battery U a wire V extends to the rims M of the several signal-boxes in the series, and from the other pole of the battery U a wire V extends to the magnets J J of the several signal-boxes in the series. \Vhen the lugs b of all the signal-boxes in the series are at rest, the lugs I) rest upon their corresponding contact-pieces, M, the magnets J J in the several signal-boxes are demagnetized, and no circuit is established through them; but as I continue to move the lug b of station-box No. 1 around toward the want I desire to indicate, said lug b will come in contact with the rim M of signal-box No. 1, and an electric circuit will be formed, as follows: From the battery U along the wire IV to the rim M of signal-box No. 1, from rim M of that signal-box to the lug 1) thereof, from said lug b to and through the movement of signal-box No. 1, and thence along the wire Z to the movements of other signal-boxes in the series. From the movements of these signal-boxes the current passes to the lugs 2) thereof, and from these lugs it then passes to contact-pieces M, upon which they are resting. The current then travels from the contact-pieces M to the magnets J J, with which they are connected, and from the magnets J J along the wire V back to the battery U. The'magnets J J in the several station-boxes, excepting that of room No. 1, will thus be energized, and thereby caused to at tract their armatures J This will force the armatures J to draw down their arms J thereby pulling down the pin j and raising the plate 7' into the opening of the plate B of its signalbox, into which opening said plate J is adapted to fit. Thus the plates j in the various signal-boxes will lock the plates B thereof against movement, and as the plates B are thus locked and remain locked until the lug l) of station-box No. l ceases contact with its rim M the movements of the signal-boxes other than box No. 1 cannot be operated. The plates 7' may have the word Closed on them, as shown in Fig. 1, so that the occupants of the rooms whose signal-boxes are in the series will be informed when the indicator is in use. The index I) in room No. 1 will be drawn around until it reaches the point marked Goal. The pawl Q will prevent the ratchet-wheel G from revolving while the index 6 is being moved in the di-' rection indicated by the arrow, butwill allow the ratchet-wheel G to revolve in a direction opposite to that indicated by said arrow. WVhen the index Z) reaches the point marked Coal, the knob 19 will be freed, the pawl (Z will engage with one of the teeth of the ratchet-wheel O, and as the spring I causes the shaft A to revolve backward the shaft A carries back with it the ratchet-wheel O. The ratchet-wheel C will, through the pawl d, carry back with it the toothed wheel D, and this toothed wheel D will of course cause the ratchet-wheel G and wheel H to move with it. The wheel H has, in its circumference, contact-points, the spaces between which are filled with non-conducting material. As each of the contact-points in the circumference of the wheel H touches the contact-piece S, an electric current is caused to flow from the battery N along the wire T to the movement of the signal-box, and from the movement through the contact-points in the circumference of the wheel H to the contact-piece S, thence along the Wire B, through the magnets K K of the indicator, to the wire R, and back to the battery N. It will be seen, therefore, that as each of the contact-points of the wheel H touches the contact-piece S, the magnets K K will attract their armature K thereby moving the sliding arm K from which motion is transmitted through the arm K to the arm K. At each attraction of the armature K the arm K will move the ratchet-wheel K transmitted to the post K and index K.

The various wants indicated on the face of the-case of the signal-boxes are arranged in the same order on the face of the indicator, so that if Coal is arranged twenty-first in order on the signal-box it will be twenty-first in order on the indicator. If Goal is the twenty-first want twenty-one contact-points on the wheel H will touch the contact-piece S as the post A travels back to its initial position at zero. The magnets K K will attract the armature K twenty-one times. The ratchet-wheel K will be moved forward twenty-one teeth, and the index K will point to the twenty-first want on the indicator, which is Coal. As soon as the lug b of station No. 1 in its return leaves its rim M, the electric circuit which operated the magnets J J in the other rooms is broken, the plates j, and the movements will thereby be unlocked and may be operated. \Vhen the lug b touches the contact-piece M in its return, the bell P is again caused to ring, as before explained, thereby notifying the attendant at the central station or office that the indicator shows the want of the person in room An ordinary electric push-button may be provided for the attendant at the office to return the index K to zero. From one pole of the battery U a wire may extend through the magnets L L to the push-button X, and from the other pole of the battery U another wire may extend to the push-button. hen the attendant presses the push-button, the circuit is closed through the magnets L L, and these magnets will then attract the armature L This will cause the arm L to engage the arms K and K and withdraw these arms from the ratchet wheel K When this occurs, the coiled spring within the ratchet-wheel K will cause the ratchet-wheel K to revolve backward until the pins and k strike each other. The ratchet-wheel K moves back with it the post K and index K so that when the pins k and 70 strike each other the index K will point to zero on the indicator. When the attendant ceases to press the push-button X, the circuit 'is broken and the arms K an d K are caused by their springs to again engage the ratchet-wheel K Instead of the above described means for withdrawing the arms K and K from the ratchet-wheel K the arm L may be operated by mechanical means. The construction of such means is so obvious as not to require description.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination of a shaft, a plate, as B, fastened "to said shaft, a device whereby said platemay be locked against movement, a stop for limiting the movement of said shaft, a ratchet on said shaft, a pawl mounted on a wheel and capable of engagement with said ratchet, means for regulating the speed of travel of said last mentioned Wheel, another liq wheel mounted with said last mentioned wheel and capable of revolving with it and having electrical contact-points, means for preventing said wheel having electrical contact-points from revolving in more than one direction, and means for revolving the shaft in a direction opposite to that in which it is turned by the operator, substantially as specified.

2. The combination of a shaft, a plate, as B, fastened to said shaft, a stop for limiting the movement of said shaft, a ratchet on said shaft, a pawl mounted on a wheel and capable of engagement with said ratchet, means for regulating the speed of travel of said last-mentioned wheel, another wheel mounted with said last-mentioned wheel and capable of revolving with it and having electrical contact-points, means for :preventing said wheels having electricalcontact-points from revolving in more than one direction,

means for revolving the shaft in a direction opposite to that in which it is turned by the; operator, a magnet or magnets, an armature therefor, and a device operated by said armature for locking the movements of the signalboxes against operation, substantially as specified.

3. In a signal-box, the combination of an electrical contact-point,'as M, upon which a contact-piece electrically connected with the movement of the box rests when the box is not being operated, a wire connecting said contact-point with a magnet or magnets, an armature for said magnet or magnets, a device operated by said armature for locking the movement of the signal-box against operation, means for establishing electrical communication between said contact-points and the said contact-piece electrically connected with the movement of the signal-box to magnetize said magnet or magnets to lock the movement of the signal-box against operation, and a contact-point, as M within reach of said contact-piece electrically connected to the movement of the signal-box, a wire connecting said contact-point, as 1VI ,Wli3h an apparatus at acentral office for indicating-when said contact-piece electrically connected with the movement of the signal-box and said contact-point, as M touch each other, and means for establishing electrical communication between said contact piece and point to operate said central-office apparatus, substantially as specified.

4. In a signal-box, the combination of acoutactpiece electrically connected with the movement of the box, a contact-point, as M, upon which said contact-piece rests when the box is not being operated, a wire connecting said contact-point, as M, with a magnet or magnets, an armature for said magnet or magnets, a device operated by said armature for locking the movement of the signal box against operation, a contact-point, as Mi-with in reach of said contact-piece electrically connected to the movement of the box, a wire connected with said contact-piece, as M a case inelosing the movement of the box and having its face suitably marked, an index secured to the movement of the box, a contactpiece, as M, within reach of said contact-piece electrically connected to the movement of the signal-box, and a wire connec ed to said contact-piece, as M, substantially as specified.

5. In a signal-box, the combination of an electrical contact-point, means for connecting said contact-point with a magnet or magnets, an armature for said magnet or magnets, a

device operated by said armature for locking the movement of the signal-box against operation when said magnet or magnets are energized, means for unlocking themovement of the signal-box upon the demagnetization ofsaid magnet or magnets, a contact-piece electrically connected to the movement of the signal-box andresting on said contact-point when the box is not being operated, a second contact-piece, as M, connected with the box movement while it is running, and a source of electricity, one pole of which is connected with the-contact-point upon which the contact-piece electrically connected to the movement of the signal rests when the box is not being operated, and the other pole of which is connected with said contact-piece, as M, substantially as specified.

6. The combination of a magnet or magnets, as K K, an armature, as K means, as K", for normally holding said armature out of contact with its magnet or magnets, an arm, as K connected to another arm, as K an arm, as K, connected to said arm, as K, means, as It, for holding one end of the arm K in contact with a ratchet-wheel, as K another arm, as K means, as k, for holding one end of the arm, as K in contact with the ratchet-wheel, as K a post, as K", revolved by said ratchetwheel, an index aflixed to said post, means for causing said ratchet wheel to revolve backward when said arms, as K and K are withdrawn from contact with it, and means for establishing electrical communication between said magnets, as K K, and an operating-station, substantially as specified.

7. The combination of a shaft, as A, a plate, as B, fastened to said shaft, a stop for limiting the movement of said shaft, a ratchet on said shaft, a pawl mounted on a wheel and capable of engagement with said ratchet, means for regulating the speed of travel of said last-mentioned wheel, another wheel fastened to said last-mentioned wheel and capable of revolving with it and having electrical contact-points, a contact-piece, as S, meansfor preventing said wheel having electrical contact-points from revolving in more than one direction, means for revolving the shaft in a direction opposite to that in which it is turned by the operator, a wire connecting the contact-pieee, as S, with a magnet or magnets,

as K K, an armature, as K means, as K,

for normally holding said armature out ot' engagement with its magnet or magnets, an arm,

IIS

as K connected to another arm, as K an arm, as K, connected to said arm, as K means, as k", for holding one end of the arm, as K", in contact with the ratchet-wheel, as K, another arm, as K means, as for holdlng one end of the arm, as K, in contact with the ratchet wheel, as K a post, as K, an 1ndex affixed to said post, means for causing said ratchet-wheel, as K to revolve backward when said arms, as K K are withdrawn from contact with it, and a source of electricity, one pole of which is connected to the magnets, as K K, and the other pole of which is connected to the movement of the signal-box, whereby when the contact-piece, as S, touches the contact-points ot' the wheel, as H, said magnets, as K K, will be energized to operate their armature, substantially as specified.

8. A signaling system comprising signalboxes having time-trains, a conductor connecting said timetrains with each other, wheels, as H, in said time-trains, contactpieces, as S, in proximity to said wheels, as H, a conductor connecting said contact-pieces, as S, with each other, a source of electricity, one pole of which is connected with the conductor that connects the time-trains with each other and the other pole of which is connected with the conductor that connects the contact-pieces, as S, with each other, a magnet or magnets at a central station or officein the circuit which comprises the said time-trains and contact-pieces, as S, an armature for said magnet or magnets, means for normally holding said armature out of engagement with its magnet or magnets, and arms operated by said armature to cause the movement of an index, substantially as specified.

9.".lhe combination, with a receiving-station, of a series of signal-boxes for use in connection therewith, the movem ents of said boxes being electrically connected with each other, a contact-point, as h arranged on each signalbox, upon which a contact-piece electrically connected with the movement of such signalbox normally rests, a wire leading from said contact-points to a magnet or magnets, an armature for the same, means operated by said armature to lock the movement of the signal-box against operation when its magnet or magnets is energized, the said magnet or magnets of the signal-boxes in the series being electrically connected with each other and with one pole of a source of electricity, a contact-piece, as M, arranged on each signal-box, upon which the aforesaid contact-piece which is electrically connected with the movement of the signal-box may rest while the movement of such signal-box is being operated, said contact-piece, as M,

being connected with the opposite pole of said source of electricity, whereby when the said contact-piece in electrical communication with the movement of one of the signal-boxes of the series rests upon said contact-piece, as M, theelectric circuit will be closed and the magnets of the other signal-boxes in the series will attract their armatures to lrck the movements of such signal-boxes against operation, a contact-point, as M arranged on each signal-box within reach of the contactpiece of said signal-box, which is electrically connected to the movement thereof, a wire leading from each of said contact-points, as M to an apparatus at a central station for indicating the box on which the contact-point, which is connected with such indicator, is arranged,and a source of electricity, one pole of which is connected to said indicating apparatus and .the other pole of which is connected to the movements of all the signalboxes in the series, substantially as specified.

10. The combination, with a receiving-station, of a series of signal-boxes for use in connection therewith, the movements of said boxes being electrically connected with each other, a contact-point arranged in each signal-box, upon which a contact-piece electrically connected with the movement of such signal-box rests while said signal-box is not being operated, a wire leading from said contact-points to a magnet or magnets, an armature for the same, means operated by said armature to lock the movement of the signalbox against operation when its magnet ,or magnets are energized, the said magnetor magnets of the signal-boxes in the series being electrically connected with each other and with one pole of a source of electricity, a contact-piece, as M, arranged on each signal-box, upon which the aforesaid contact-piece, which is electrically connected with the movement of the signal-box, may rest while the movement of said signal-box is being operated, said contact-piece, as M,being connected with the opposite pole of said source of electricity, whereby when said contact-piece in electrical communication with the movement of one of the signal-boxes of the series rests upon the said contact-piece, as M, the electric circuit will be closed and the magnets of the other signal-boxes in the series will attract their armatures and lock the movements of such signal-boxes against operation, a contact-point, as M arranged on each signalbox within reach of the contact-piece of said signal-box, which is electrically connected to the movement thereof, a wire leading from each of said contact-points, as M to an apparatus at a central station for indicating the box on which the contact-point which is connected with such indicator is arranged, a contact-piece, as S, arranged on each signal-box in the series, all said contact-pieces, as S, being electrically connected to each other, a wheel, as H, in each signal-box in the series, means for regulating the speed of travel of said wheel, as H, a magnet or magnets at a central station electrically connected to the said contact-pieces, as S, an armature for the said magnet or magnets, arms operated by said armature to cause the movement of an index, and a source of electricity, to one pole of which is connected the wire which consignal-box normally rests, a wire leading from said contact-points to a magnet or magnets, an armature for said magnet 01' magnets, means operated by said armature to lock the movement of the signal-box against operation when its magnet or magnets are energized, the said magnet or magnets of the signal-boxes in the series being electrically connected with each other and with one pole of a source of electricity, and a contact-piece, as M, arranged on each signal-box upon which the aforesaid contact-piece, which is electrically connected with the movement of the stationbox, may rest while the movement of such signal-box is being operated, said contact-piece, as M, being connected with the opposite pole of said source of electricity, whereby when the said contact-piece in electrical communication with the movement of one of the signal-boxes of the series rests upon said contact-piece, as M, the electric circuit will be closed and the magnets of the other signalboxes in the series will attract their armatures and lock the movements of such signalboxes against operation, substantially as specified.

ABRAHAM NElVMA-N.

\Vitnesses:

V. R. BOWEN, MATTHEW ZOWEN. 

